Protector for athletic shoes

Claim 2

A protector for athletic shoes having cleats or spikes projecting from the sole thereof adapted to receive said shoe therein comprising an upper, a sole carried by said upper and including an outer portion, an inner portion adapted to have the spikes embedded therein, a hard toe portion plate and a hard heel portion plate, said plates constituting a middle portion of the sole and being positioned between the outer and inner sole portions, said plates being spaced apart at the vamp portion of the protector to permit flexing of the upper and the sole of the protector.

Claim 3

A protector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer portion of the sole comprises toe and heel portions and is secured to said upper, said toe portion plate is secured to the inner surface of the toe portion of the outer sole portion, said heel portion plate is secured to the inner surface of the heel portion of the outer sole portion and the inner portion of the sole is secured to said plates.

Claim 4

A protector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plates are embedded in the outer sole portion.

Claim 5

A protector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said outer portion of the sole of the protector comprises an outer and an inner layer and the toe and heel portion plates are embedded between the two layers.

Claim 6

A protector for athletic shoes having cleats or spikes projecting from the sole thereof adaptEd to receive said shoe therein comprising an upper, a sole carried by said upper and including an outer portion, an inner portion adapted to have the spikes embedded therein, a hard toe portion plate and a hard heel portion plate, said plates constituting a middle portion of the sole and being positioned between the outer and inner sole portions, said inner portion of the sole being removable.

Claim 7

A protector for athletic shoes having cleats or spikes projecting from the sole thereof adaptEd to receive said shoe therein comprising an upper, a sole carried by said upper and including an outer portion, an inner portion adapted to have the spikes embedded therein, a hard toe portion plate and a hard heel portion plate, said plates constituting a middle portion of the sole and being positioned between the outer and inner sole portions, said inner portion of the sole being removable.

Claim 8

A protector for athletic shoes having cleats or spikes projecting from the sole thereof adapted to receive said shoe therein comprising an upper, a sole carried by said upper and including an outer portion, an inner portion adapted to have the spikes embedded therein, a hard toe portion plate and a hard heel portion plate, said plates constituting a middle portion of the sole and being positioned between the outer and inner sole portions, said upper including toe and heel parts, said toe and heel plates being spaced apart at the middle or vamp part of the upper to permit relative flexing of the toe and heel parts of the upper to allow the wearer of the athletic shoe and protector to walk naturally.

Claim 9

A protector for athletic shoes having cleats or spikes projecting from the sole thereof adapted to receive said shoe therein comprising an upper, a sole carried by said upper and including an outer portion, an inner portion adapted to have the spikes embedded therein, a hard toe portion plate and a hard heel portion plate, said plates constituting a middle portion of the sole and being positioned between the outer and inner sole portions, said upper including toe and heel parts, said toe and heel plates being spaced apart at the middle or vamp part of the upper to permit relative flexing of the toe and heel parts of the upper to allow the wearer of the athletic shoe and protector to walk naturally.

Claim 10

A protector as claimed in claim 6, wherein the toe and heel parts of the upper are spaced apart at the middle or vamp part of the upper and the adjacent portions of the spaced apart toe and heel parts are connected on each side of the upper by an elastic member which cooperates with the space between the toe and heel plates to assist in the relative flexing of the toe and heel parts of the upper.

Claim 11

A protector as claimed in claim 7, wherein said elastic member is of substantially triangular shape with the apex of the triangle being located adjacent the space between the toe and heel plates and the base of the triangle is disposed at the upper edges of the toe and heel parts of the upper to permit stretching of the heel part of the upper rearwardly to facilitate the insertion of the athletic shoe into the protector and to automatically cause the heel part of the upper to fit snugly against the heel portion of the shoe when the shoe has been fully inserted into the protector.

Claim 12

A protector as claimed in claim 7, wherein the heel part of the upper has a looped element secured thereto to facilitate the stretching of the heel part of the upper when the wearer is inserting the shoe into the protector.

Claim 13

For use with an athletic shoe having a sole and an upper spaced above the sole and spikes projection from the sole thereof, a protector adapted to receive said shoe comprising an upper generally conforming to the shape of said shoe, said upper having a toe part provided with a forward portion adapted to have the forward portion of the sole of the shoe abut against the inner face of the forward portion of the upper, said forward portion of the upper terminating below the forward portion of the toe part of the upper of the shoe and said toe part of the upper being cut away so that the protector is adapted to receive shoes having toe parts of varying widths, and an adjustable fastening element for bringing the toe part of the upper into snug engagement with the sides of the toe part of the shoe when the shoe is fully inserted into the protector.

Claim 14

For use with an athletic shoe having a sole and an upper spaced above the sole and spikes projection from the sole thereof, a protector adapted to receive said shoe comprising an upper generally conforming to the shape of said shoe, said upper having a toe part provided with a forward portion adapted to have the forward portion of the sole of the shoe abut against the inner face of the forward portion of the upper, said forward portion of the upper terminating below the forward portion of the toe part of the upper of the shoe and said toe part of the upper being cut away so that the protector is adapted to receive shoes having toe parts of varying widths, and an adjustable fastening element for bringing the toe part of the upper into snug engagement with the sides of the toe part of the shoe when the shoe is fully inserted into the protector.